Royal Secret Agent
2020 South Korean historical comedy TV series
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Royal Secret Agent (Korean: 암행어사; RR: Amhaengeosa) is a South Korean historical comedy, detective television series. The series is directed by Kim Jung-min and stars Kim Myung-soo, Kwon Nara, Lee Tae-hwan, Lee Yi-kyung, and Jo Soo-min. Written by Kang Min-sun and Park Sung-hoon the series is about a government position of Joseon known as secret royal inspector, who monitors corrupt government officials while remaining undercover.[1][2] It aired on KBS2 every Monday and Tuesday at 21:30 (KST) from December 21, 2020, to February 9, 2021.[3]
| Royal Secret Agent | |
|---|---|
Promotional poster | |
| Hangul | 암행어사: 조선비밀수사단 |
| Hanja | 暗行御史: 朝鮮秘密搜查團 |
| Lit. | Secret Royal Inspector |
| RR | Amhaengeosa: Joseonbimilsusadan |
| MR | Amhaengŏsa: Chosŏnbimilsusadan |
| Genre | |
| Created by |
|
| Written by |
|
| Directed by | Kim Jung-min |
| Starring | |
| Composer | Lee Ji-yong |
| Country of origin | South Korea |
| Original language | Korean |
| No. of episodes | 16 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Yoon Jae-hyuk |
| Producers |
|
| Running time | 70 minutes |
| Production company | IWill Media |
| Original release | |
| Network | KBS2 |
| Release | December 21, 2020 – February 9, 2021 |
Synopsis
Set in the Joseon period, the series revolves around Sung Yi-gyum (Kim Myung-soo), a state examination top scorer who works in the administrative and research department of the government office. He is caught gambling and as punishment, he is reassigned to a new position as a secret royal inspector to investigate the corrupt practices of public officers. Yi-gyum carries out his new job with the help of Hong Da-in (Kwon Nara), a female inspector, and Park Chun-sam (Lee Yi-kyung), his talkative but affectionate servant.
Cast
Main
The three musketeers
- Kim Myung-soo as Sung Yi-gyum, a secret royal inspector[4][unreliable source?]
- Kwon Na-ra as Hong Da-in/Honglang/Lee Young-sin, female police posing as a courtesan whose beauty is comparable to Hwang Jini. She becomes a member of Royal Secret Agent's entourage.[5]
- Lee Yi-kyung as Park Chun-sam, Sung Yi-gyum's servant.[6]
Around three musketeers
- Lee Tae-hwan as Sung Yi-beom, Sung Yi-gyum's half-brother, head of the band of vigilante[7]
- Jo Soo-min as Kang Soon-ae, Sung Yi-gyum's ex-lover, daughter of a courtesan
Supporting
- Ahn Nae-sang as Jang Tae-seung, Chief Royal Secretary
- Son Byong-ho as Kim Byeong-geun, Chief State Councillor
- Kim Young-cheol
- Choi Jong-won as Kang In-chung, corrupt sheriff
- Ha Young as Kim Mi-ok
- Park Joo-hyung as Seo Yong
- Kim Kyung-sook
- Lee Min-woo
- Um Hyo-sup
- Chae Dong-hyun as Kim Man-hee, Kim Byeong-geun's first son
- Jong Ho as Man Deok
- Shin Ji-hoon as Choi Do-kwan
- Jo Deok-hee as Jung Moon-ho
- Yang Byung-yeol as Civil servant Kim
Production
By July 2020, the main cast of the series with Lee Tae-hwan, Kim Myung-soo, Kwon Nara and Lee Yi-kyung was finalized.[6][8] The broadcast was initially scheduled to be premiered on November 2, 2020, but due to re-proliferation of COVID-19, the production was delayed. In October, group script reading was held.[9] The still photos in the period costume, from the set of series were released by KBS as the filming progressed.[10]
Original soundtrack
| Royal Secret Agent OST | |
|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by Various artists | |
| Released | 2021 |
| Genre | Soundtrack |
| Language | |
| Label |
|
Part 1
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "I'll Find You" | Yoon Il-sang | Yoon Il-sang | N.Flying | 4:31 |
| 2. | "I'll Find You" (Inst.) | Yoon Il-sang | 4:31 | ||
| Total length: | 9:02 | ||||
Part 2
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "My Love" | Jo Jo Ho | Jo Jo Ho | Lee Sun | 3:47 |
| 2. | "My Love" (Inst.) | Jo Jo Ho | 3:47 | ||
| Total length: | 7:34 | ||||
Part 3
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Even if it accidentally passes" | Bean | Bean | ALICE (Song Joo-hee) | 3:41 |
| 2. | "Even if it accidentally passes" (Inst.) | Bean | 3:41 | ||
| Total length: | 7:22 | ||||
Episodes
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | South Korea viewers (millions) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Episode 1" | Kim Jung-min | Kang Min-sun & Park Sung-hoon | December 21, 2020 | N/A (<0.994)[14] | |
|
A Secret Royal Inspector is killed by corrupt officials' men. The courtiers appeal to king to abolish the royal inspector system, but the king refuses. Hong Da-in (Kwon Nara), a courtesan spies on officials and report to Jang Tae- seung, Chief Secretary. Sung Yi-gyum (Kim Myung-soo) an assistant advisor is caught gambling and as punishment, he is appointed as Secret Royal Inspector. Hong Da-in's cover is blown so she is also sent with Yi-gyum to help. Yi-gyum's servant, Park Chun-sam (Lee Yi-kyung) is part of the Secret Royal Inspector's entourage. | ||||||
| 2 | "Episode 2" | Kim Jung-min | Kang Min-sun & Park Sung-hoon | December 22, 2020 | 0.994[15] | |
| 3 | "Episode 3" | Kim Jung-min | Kang Min-sun & Park Sung-hoon | December 28, 2020 | N/A (<1.023)[16] | |
| 4 | "Episode 4" | Kim Jung-min | Kang Min-sun & Park Sung-hoon | December 29, 2020 | 1.095[17] | |
| 5 | "Episode 5" | Kim Jung-min | Kang Min-sun & Park Sung-hoon | January 4, 2021 | 1.058[18] | |
| 6 | "Episode 6" | Kim Jung-min | Kang Min-sun & Park Sung-hoon | January 5, 2021 | 1.212[19] | |
| 7 | "Episode 7" | Kim Jung-min | Kang Min-sun & Park Sung-hoon | January 11, 2021 | 1.637[20] | |
| 8 | "Episode 8" | Kim Jung-min | Kang Min-sun & Park Sung-hoon | January 12, 2021 | 1.725[21] | |
| 9 | "Episode 9" | Kim Jung-min | Kang Min-sun & Park Sung-hoon | January 18, 2021 | 1.792[22] | |
| 10 | "Episode 10" | Kim Jung-min | Kang Min-sun & Park Sung-hoon | January 19, 2021 | 1.864[23] | |
| 11 | "Episode 11" | Kim Jung-min | Kang Min-sun & Park Sung-hoon | January 25, 2021 | 1.899[24] | |
| 12 | "Episode 12" | Kim Jung-min | Kang Min-sun & Park Sung-hoon | January 26, 2021 | 2.152[25] | |
| 13 | "Episode 13" | Kim Jung-min | Kang Min-sun & Park Sung-hoon | February 1, 2021 | 2.321[26] | |
| 14 | "Episode 14" | Kim Jung-min | Kang Min-sun & Park Sung-hoon | February 2, 2021 | 2.178[27] | |
| 15 | "Episode 15" | Kim Jung-min | Kang Min-sun & Park Sung-hoon | February 8, 2021 | 2.039[28] | |
| 16 | "Episode 16" | Kim Jung-min | Kang Min-sun & Park Sung-hoon | February 9, 2021 | 2.323[29] | |
Viewership
As per the audience rating of AGB Nielsen Media Research, the second part of the final episode, recorded 14% average TV viewership ratings. This is the highest record for its ratings.[30]
| Season | Episode number | Average | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | |||
| 1 | N/A | 0.994 | N/A | 1.095 | 1.058 | 1.212 | 1.637 | 1.725 | 1.792 | 1.864 | 1.899 | 2.152 | 2.321 | 2.178 | 2.039 | 2.323 | N/A | |
| Ep. | Part | Original broadcast date | Average audience share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nielsen Korea[31][32] | ||||
| Nationwide | Seoul | |||
| 1 | 1 | December 21, 2020 | 5.0% (NR) | N/a |
| 2 | ||||
| 2 | 1 | December 22, 2020 | 5.5% (NR) | |
| 2 | 5.8% (19th) | |||
| 3 | 1 | December 28, 2020 | 5.3% (NR) | |
| 2 | 5.2% (NR) | |||
| 4 | 1 | December 29, 2020 | 5.2% (NR) | |
| 2 | 6.1% (18th) | 5.7% (20th) | ||
| 5 | 1 | January 4, 2021 | 5.7% (NR) | N/a |
| 2 | 5.0% (NR) | |||
| 6 | 1 | January 5, 2021 | 4.9% (NR) | |
| 2 | 6.5% (15th) | |||
| 7 | 1 | January 11, 2021 | 6.0% (17th) | 6.1% (17th) |
| 2 | 8.7% (7th) | 8.6% (5th) | ||
| 8 | 1 | January 12, 2021 | 6.4% (16th) | N/a |
| 2 | 9.7% (7th) | 9.0% (8th) | ||
| 9 | 1 | January 18, 2021 | 5.8% (19th) | N/a |
| 2 | 9.7% (6th) | 8.9% (7th) | ||
| 10 | 1 | January 19, 2021 | 7.7% (11th) | 7.2% (12th) |
| 2 | 11.6% (3rd) | 11.2% (4th) | ||
| 11 | 1 | January 25, 2021 | 8.4% (8th) | 8.0% (11th) |
| 2 | 10.6% (4th) | 10.0% (4th) | ||
| 12 | 1 | January 26, 2021 | 8.6% (8th) | 8.0% (9th) |
| 2 | 12.0% (4th) | 11.2% (4th) | ||
| 13 | 1 | February 1, 2021 | 9.7% (6th) | 8.7% (6th) |
| 2 | 13.6% (3rd) | 12.6% (3rd) | ||
| 14 | 1 | February 2, 2021 | 8.8% (6th) | 7.9% (7th) |
| 2 | 12.3% (3rd) | 11.1% (3rd) | ||
| 15 | 1 | February 8, 2021 | 8.8% (8th) | 7.9% (10th) |
| 2 | 12.0% (4th) | 10.7% (4th) | ||
| 16 | 1 | February 9, 2021 | 10.2% (7th) | 9.8% (5th) |
| 2 | 14.0% (3rd) | 13.2% (3rd) | ||
| Average | 8.1% | —[a] | ||
| ||||
Notes
- Due to some ratings not recorded, the exact average rating is unknown.
International broadcast
The series is available same time as Korea, as an iQIYI Original and exclusively on iQIYI globally (except China and Korea) with multi-languages subtitles. It is also available non-exclusively on iQIYI in South Korea.[33][34][unreliable source?]
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | KBS Drama Awards | Top Excellence Award, Actor | Kim Myung-soo | Nominated | [35] |
| Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries | Nominated | [36] | |||
| Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries | Kwon Nara | Won | [37] | ||
| Best Supporting Actor | Lee Yi-kyung | Won | [38] |